Saturday, May 29, 2010

Saturday Stitch in pictures! (Magic Ring and Invisible Decrease)

I'm going to attempt an explanation of the magic ring technique and the invisible decrease. Both are things I learned recently, and both have permanently replaced the usual methods I'd use to start amigurumi and decrease things before.

As always, video does a much better job at explaining this than I will. This is the magic ring video I like. This is the invisible decrease video I like. Youtube is one of the best resources for beginners. I've learned so much from how to videos on there.

I digress. I've made the first animal amigurumi pattern I've posted here larger than life. It's a play off of an octopus pattern on Lion Brand's website. Their pattern calls for a g hook and worsted weight yarn. I've bumped it up to an L hook and I held two strands of yarn together as I went. He ended up huge, and he's going to one of my all-time favorite people once he's 100% finished.

When starting a magic ring, keep the end of the yarn pointed at your palm. Wrap the yarn around your fingers, and cross the yarn over the end. Don't knot it.

I hold it at the point where the yarn crosses to steady it.

insert hook and pull up a loop.

ch 1. This will anchor the slipknot. Make sure it's not too tight and that you can still pull the circle closed or open.

sc around the tail of the yarn and the circle. Be careful not to let the end of the tail get covered by your sc. This particular pattern calls for 6sc.

Pull the tail of the yarn to make a circle. You can either cut the tail now, or just work it into your project by crocheting over it. You can also weave it in however you like to weave tails in. Now we're on to the octopus pattern. Even if you don't have sound available, watching the videos I linked at the top will help if you run into any snags.

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc. (12) *Mark first st of each round. Move marker up as you work.

Rnd 3: 2sc in next st, sc in following st. Repeat around. (18)

Rnd 4: 2sc in first st. sc in each of next 2 st, repeat around. (24)

Rnd 5: 2 sc, sc in next 3, repeat around. (30)

Rnd 6: 2sc, sc in next 4 st. repeat around. (36)

Rnd 7: 2sc, sc in next 5 st. Repeat around. (42)

Rnd 8-17: sc around. (42)

Invisible Decrease: insert hook into *front loop* of next st, then into the front loop of the following st. yarn over and pull through first two loops. Yarn over and pull through remaining two loops. Work Rnds 18-20 in this fashion: Inv. Dec, sc in next 5 (4 then 3 for rnd 19 then 20).

It should be starting to look like a head at this point. Find a spot and either embroider a face (what the black yarn is for) or use whatever size safety eyes you'd like. Stuff the head, but leave some room to continue closing up the head. Work Rnds 21-23 the same way, with an Inv Dec and a decreasing amount of stitches between Inv Dec. Rnd 23 should be an entire rnd of Inv. Dec.*Stuff head to satisfaction before sewing hole closed*

I made an angry Octopus.

Start the legs the same way you started the head. (6sc in magic ring)

Rnd 2: 2sc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3-10: sc in each st around. (12)

Lightly stuff and sew closed.

Sew to head. Repeat 7 more times. :D

Hopefully these pictures helped. As always, send pics of finished projects to me at armyofowls@gmail.com.